Convertible table



July 3, 1928. 1,676,108

J. NovAK CONVERTIBLE TABLE Filed Jan.4, 1927 ZSheetS-Sheet 1V 18)1Z\ 14 V l l H NV! f6 Q l'Gt. 15

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f gmc/#icc J. NOVAKv CONVERTIBLE TABLE July 3, 1928. 1,676,108

Filed Jan. 4, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 2 N i (22177766 c/lv/ad L wl l 2% "Panarea 'mi f3, 192s.

" UNITED.- -sfT-Aras A P'a'rau'r OFFICE. l n l' .unas Novak,l or cnnvamum,l omo. l l l application alta January 4, 1927. seriali. 15am.

.l Thisinvention relates to certain..new andl useful improvements inv convertible tables, and has in ore particular reference to an improved table adapted to bereadly converted 5 for use either as a conventional lat top table, 0r as a self-waiting dining table, as desired.

The primary-ob]ect of the invention is .to

' provide a convertible'table of the above kind which isextremely simple and durablein lo construction as well as eflieient operation. more specific object is to provide a table .of thev above kind embodying a central open top .compartment or receptacle, a border table top 'section rigidly mounted at its inner Y 11'5 margin upon `the top of said' compartment or receptacleV andfhaving -a central opening registering 'with the top opening. of said compartment of receptacle A vertically movable support adapted to be manuall lowered into the` compartment or receptac e or to be vraiscdjfor closing the central openingo'f the border table top section and temporarily actas ,a' central table top section, anda multiple shelf dish carrier rotatably mounted upon a'support so as to be raised to an exposed operative position when the support lis elevatedl andv to be `lowered within l the com artment or receptacle when the support is owered. the. upper shelf of the dish carrier adapted to act as a central or closure table top Vsection 'for producing, together with the border table top sectiom a flat' top table when said support is lowered.

A still vfurther object is to provide improved means for guiding the dish carrier -Support in its vertical kmovement while at the same time restraining it from turning or being excessively raised or lowered.

Another object is to rovid'e a table of the above kind wherein tllie dish carrier may `'embody a plurality of4 superimposed shelves of in' view f of etlicieI/it` arrangement of the eliminatingmeans for said shelves, thus ensuring maximum capacity for the dish carrier. j Y

Other objects will appear as the nature of the invention Vis better understood,` and the same consists in the novel form,` combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters xindicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, e

Figure 1 is a view, partly in elevation, and

vertical section showing details of t e rigidly connected l similar diameter,

partly in central vertical section, of a convertible tablefconstructed in accordance with they present invention, the parts tioned tol vprovide a flat top table;

c igure- 2 is a fragmentary view somewhat similar to Figure 1 illustrating the dish carrier and its support raised to provide a selfwaiting dining table;

Figure 3 isla fra entary horizontal Secbeing position taken substantlally upon line 8 3 'of igure 4 is a horizontal setion taken sub stantially upon line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 2 with the` dish carrier and support lowered, an'd form of ymeans for manually raising and lowering .said dish carrier support;

Figure A6 is an enlarged fra entary Y device shown in Figure 5; and g Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical section illustrating a .modified l illustrating a modification of the invention broadly disclosed in Figs. 1 to 'inclusive.

Referring more in detail to the drawin the present invention preferably Vembodies a hollow pedestal 5 suitably mountedupon a supporting base such Aas a 'base `plate 6 equipped wlth caster wheels 71ffor facilitating movement of the table fromone point to another. Rigidly and centrally or concentrieally mounted upon the pedal 6 is a. compartment or receptacle 8 which is open at-"its Y top and preferably of circular form as shown in Figure 4. Rigidly mounted upon the upper edge of the rece ner margin is a border ta le top section 9 of `continuous form, said section 9 having a central opening registering with the top opening of the rece tacle 8 and substantially conforming to t e internal diameter of the latter. Slidably4 fitted and 'vertically movable in the receptacle 8 is asup rting disk or plate 10 having a plurality of() equally spaced and outwardly projecting radial guide lugs 11 lvertically movable in correspondingly arranged guide grooves 12 provided interiorly'of the' receptacle 8 so as to extend from a point spaced above the bottom of the latter to the top thereof.' Thus, the support 10 is allowed limited vertical movement and at the same time restrained against turning relative tothe receptacle 8, shoulders being presented as at 13 and 14 at the opposite ends of the vertical guide grooves 12 for limiting the movement of the tacle 8-at its insupport to ai osition wherein the same is spaced above tie bottom of receptacle 8 as shown in Figure 1, or to a position wherein the support 10 closes the opening in the border table top section 9 and acts as a temporarycentral table top section as shown in Figure 2. The supporting disk or plate 10 is provided with a central upstanding pintle or post upon which is rotatably mounted a circular dish carrier including a central hub 16 receiving the pintle l5 and rigidly carrying a plurality of spaced superimposed dish-supporting shelves 17 of a diameter correspondmg to the "diameter of the supportin plate 10 and the opening lin the border ta le top section 9. This dish carrier' is of such height that when the support-ing plate 10 is in its lowermost position, the uppermost shelf 17 will be positioned to close the opening of the-table top section 9 and act as a central table top section, cooperating at that time with the section 9 to form a conventional iiat top table. It will also be apparent, in view of the above, that when the supporting plate 10 is raised the dish carrier will be exposed to view above the plane of the table top so as to be readily operativelyI employed as a rotatable dish carrier in the usual well known'way as generally heretofore racticed in .connection with self-waiting ining tables. However,

. by providing the shelves 17 of similar diameter and of a diameter equal to the diameter of the opening in the table top section 9, maximum capacity is insured. In order to permit such use of similar maximum sized shelves, and at the same time render the 'dishes readily visible without interference to access to the same, I provide illuminating means on the hub 16 between the shelves as generally indicated at 18. This illuminating means consists in equipping the hub 16 with radial lamp sockets, the feed wires 'for which are extended downwardly through the hub 16, su porting plate 10, a spindle depending memlier 19 carried by the supporting plate 10 and projecting into the pedestal 5, as well as actin as part of a mechanism for raising and owering the plate 10 as will presently become apparent, and then passing through the lower end of the member 19 and the supportin base.6 in the form of an attachment cord adapted to be suitably extended to a source of current supply.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the depending member 19 may consist of a vertical rack bar normally depending through a central opening provided in the bottom of the receptacle 8 and extending into the hollow pedestal 5, said rack bar being engaged by a pinion 20 fixed upon the inner end of a radial driven shaft 21 suitably urnaled inthe receptacle 8 adjacent the ttom of the latter. The shaft 21 projects outwardly through the receptacle 8 at one side where it isi operatively connected by means of a sprocket gearing 22 with the in- `ner end of a further radial drive shaft 23 porting `plate 10 and dish carrier, the direction of movement of the supporting plate 10 depending upon the direction of rotation of the shaft 23.

The construction shown in Figures 5 and 6 is substantially the saine as that shown in the remaining figures exceptI that the depending member 19 is in the nature of an `adjusting screw rigid with the supporting plate 10 andengaged by the externally1 threaded hub of a sprocket wheel 26 whic is horizontally positioned and journaled vbetween the overlying arms of a bracket 27 fixed upon the bottom of receptacle 8 so as to be restrained against vertical movement. The sprocket wheel 26 is operatively connected by a radially arranged sprocket chain 28 with a sprocket wheel 29 suitably journaled upon a stub shaft carried by the gear casing 30 rigidly mounted understhe table top section 9 at one side of the receptacle 8, the chain 28 projecting outwardly through the side of the receptacle 8 as shown. The sprocket .wheel 29 is in turn operatively connected to the manually operative drive shaft 23 by means of a bevel gearing 31 and a sprocket gearing 32, so that upon manually turning the shaft 23 the vertical adjustment of the supporting plate 10 may beeiected as described above in connection with the structure of Figures 1 to 4 inclusive. [In other words, turning of the sprocket Wheel 26 in one direction will cause upward movement f screw 19', while turning of the sprocket wheel'26 in the other direction will effect' lowering thereof.

In practice, the supporting plate 10 and dish carrier mounted thereon are elevat when the article of furniture is adapted for use as a' self-waiting dining table. Thus, with the parts arranged as shown in Figure 2 persons seated about the table with personal faithu on the border table top section 9, may readily reach the dish carrier for turning it so as to bring the desired dish of food within convenient reach. vThe raising of the supporting plate 10 may be effectively accomplished by manipulation of ythe hand crank24 at the edge of the table llU ' are hidden from either shaft.

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vas Well as the advantages and by reason of the plate 10 closing the opening of the table top section 9, articles and foreign matter will be prevented from falling' into the receptacle 8. -When requiring a conventional flat top table, the hand crank 24 may be manipulated-so as to lower the part-s until the plate 10 and the ower ones of the shelves 17 disappear or 'view in the receptacle 8. At this time, p as a central table top section andeooperates with the section 9 for producing a i'lat top tablelof neat appearance. Fromv the foregoing description it is be lieved that the construction and operation of the present invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

inor changes may be madel without departing from the spiritY and scope of the invention as claimed.

Obviously, a motor may be used to actuate the shaft 21 or the horizontal shaft of the bevel gearing 31, thus doing atvay with t-he hand crank 24 and its connection with Asshown in Fig. 7, this may be done by using an electric motor M to directly drive mounted on a bracket B carried bythe receptacle 8 and controlled by a switch S mounted on the underside of the table top section 9 near the outer edge of the latter for convenient access.

What I claim as new is 1. A convertible fiat-top and self-waiting table includlng a supportlng structure, anV

open-top receptacle rigidly mounted thereon, Va border table top section rigidly mounted on said receptacle and having a central opening registered with the open top of .said receptahole, a supporting plate slidably fitted in t therein and adapted to close the opening of the border table top section when raised, means operable to-raise and lower said supporting plate, and a multiple-shelf plate carrier'rotatably mounted on said supporting plate and embodying an upper lshelf adapted to close the opening ofJ the border table top .Isection'when the supporting plate is lowered, said plate carrier embodying a hub having af plurality opening of the border table top section whenv the uppermost shelf 17 actsv the shaft, the motor being" e receptacle for vertical movement of spaced superposed shelves of`\- similar size rigid therewith and each shelf table top section when the supporting plate supporting plate slidably engaged in said grooves.

3. A convertible flat-top and self waiting.: table including a supporting structure, ,an

open-top receptacle rigidly mounted thereon, a border table top section rigidly mounted on 4said receptacle and having ak central opening registered with the open .top f of said receptacle, a supporting plate slid-.

ably fitted in the receptacle for vertical' movement therein and opening of the border table top section whenraised, means operable to raise and lower said supporting plate, a multiple-shelf plate shelves of similar size rigid therewith, said.

raising and lowering means for the support;-v ing plate embodying `a depending member rigid with the latter and normally projecting through the bottom of the receptacle into said supporting structure, a rotatable elementin the receptacle operable for effecting reeiprocation of said depending member, said rotatable element embodying an internally threaded gear, said depending member embodying an said gear is threaded, and a bracket on the bottom of the receptacle having said gear jourpaled therein, said bracket restraining the gear from vertical movements.

4. A convertible flat-top and table including a'sup a border table top section rigidly mounted on said receptacle, and having a central openingpregiste'ring with the open top of said receptacle, a supporting plate slidably fitted in the receptacle for vertical movement therein and adapted to close the opening of the border table top section when raised, means operable to raise and lower said supporting plate, a multiple-shelf` plate carrier rotatably mounted on said supporting plate and embodying an upper shelf .adapted to close the opening of the border table top section when the supporting plate 1s lowered, said plate'carrier embodying a hub having a plurality of spaced superposed shelves of similar size rigid therewith, said adapted to closethel carrier rotatably mounted on said supportsupporting plate adjusting screw on which self waiting i' orting structure, an open-top receptacle rigidly mounted thereon,"

raising and lowering means for the supwardly through vthe side of the receptacle, a ortingyate embodying a dependin memdrive shaft journaled radially of and di-l r rigi with the latter and normal y prorectly beneath the border table -top section jecting through theA bottom of the receptacle 'in a plane above said power transmission 15 5 into said supporting structure, and a rotat- .element, and an operative connection vbeable element in the receptacle operable for tween the outer end of the power transmiseffect-ing reciprocation of said depending sion element and the inner end of said drive member, a power transmission element opershaft.

atively connected to said rotatable element ln testimony whereof I ax mysignature. i0 and disposed radially of and in the bottom of said receptacle as well as projecting outv JAMES NOVAK. 

